The Sending
by MerlynGirlReincarnate-17
Summary: This will be re-updated as soon as possible. I've already re-written it, I just haven't had access to the net to post it yet. Keep an eye out, but this one still sucks.
1. Meeting the Family

Disclaimer; Don't own it. Just the OC  
  
A/N By the way, for that reviewer who asked if I had even played the game, yes I have. I've beaten it as well. As for the fight I was referring to before, yes it's the one between the gang and Yu Yevon and all that, but Auron was sent before Tidus ever went anywhere. I remember and I've even double-checked.  
  
Maybe this one will make more sense to people. The last one was just a blip in my writing. I don't even know why I posted it. shrugs  
  
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The group stood on the ruins of what was once the Zanarkand Blitz- sphere, watching Yuna perform the sending. They turned, following her gaze as she gasped and stopped.  
  
"Don't stop." Auron commanded, looking at her sharply.  
  
"But-" She started to protest and was cut off.  
  
"It's all right." He started forward; turning first to Kimahri, giving the Ronso an affectionate nudge at the shoulder with his fist, then his single mahogany eye trailed over to Wakka, Lulu, and Rikku. He took another step, inclining his head ever so slightly toward the young blonde to his right.  
  
"It's been long enough." He moved toward the center of the platform, drawing his Mesamune and striking the pose of the forever-proud warrior.  
  
"This is your world now." Yuna began to perform the sending, but was brought up short as a new voice, unfamiliar to any of them, spoke up.  
  
"Is that so? You mean you're going to give all of this up just because you can't hack it?" They turned, and saw a young woman leaning against one of the pillars at the back, her arms crossed over her chest arrogantly. Her breastplate matched his perfectly, her tight leather trousers covering the tops of her supple leather boots, also identical to his own. A pair of spiked gloves hung from a strap at her waist, right hip, and clinked together slightly as she moved toward them. Every garment was black. Her waist-length crimson hair swayed behind her against the black leather duster she wore as she flicked the black-tipped bangs from her eyes.  
  
"Who are you to question what I do?" Auron asked, turning an inch or so in her direction.  
  
"Well, since my mother can't, I suppose it's up to me to answer that question isn't it?" She mused aloud. "I'm your daughter."  
  
"You believe so, don't you?" He asked, his good eye fluttering closed for a moment as his lips quirked upwards at the corners in amusement. "I hate to shatter your dreams, but you are wrong. Your story has no crossing with my own."  
  
"Oh, that story thing. Geez, haven't you dropped that yet? Come on, it's been what? A good fifteen years since you started saying stuff like that? Lay off already, a person's story is what they make of it, it's not pre-written." She said, waving it away with a toss of her hand.  
  
"You've done your research, or your mother has one. I suggest you make better use of your time on Spira than chasing false-hoods." Auron said and nodded for Yuna to continue the sending.  
  
"Oh? I'm sure you wouldn't have said that to Illia." Yuna froze again as every muscle in the crimson Guardian's frame tensed with emotion.  
  
"You dare to speak her name." Auron growled, slowly turning. His companions stepped back from the fire smoldering behind his eye, the intensity itself nearly blinding.  
  
"I'm as much her daughter as I am yours, I have the right." She said, and then smirked a little as she ducked her head. "Which reminds me. Mum said that if something should happen to her, to tell you hello and for you to stop drinking the saki .She also mentioned that if you have to carry it with you, to stop wasting it on your sword."  
  
"Who are you?" Auron asked, turning so that he faced her entirely now.  
  
"I thought you'd never ask." She said cheerily, her own emerald eyes locking onto his single russet one. "I'm Firailc Sfitavi Feral." Auron snorted, pain flashing behind his eye, and turned his back on her.  
  
"Lady Yuna, the sending." He said sharply, choosing to ignore the girl.  
  
"You met in Zanarkand." Yuna paused, mesmerized by the desperation in the girl's voice. "It was at a Blitzball tournament. You had brought Tidus to the game and then the guards wouldn't let you leave because they thought you looked suspicious. Mum came up and talked the guards out of doing a body search, saying she'd take it herself because you looked like the dangerous sort."  
  
{([0])} Auron's Flashback {([0])}  
  
"Hold it." The guard's nametag read 'Osmore' while his companion's appeared to be 'Boisvert.' Placing his hand on Auron's shoulder, Osmore was surprised to find that the crimson-cloaked man wasn't easily stopped.  
  
"Hold it, sir." Boisvert said firmly, adding his strength as well. Auron stopped and looked down at the two men, somewhat surprised to find them a good three inches shorter than him. They were obviously new recruits as they barely looked older than 17 each.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked, his demeanor as stoic as ever.  
  
"Sir, we're going to have to confiscate that." Osmore said, gesturing to the sword half-hidden behind the scarlet folds.  
  
"Are you?" Auron wasn't asking why they wanted it, he was asking if they thought they could, and they knew what he meant.  
  
"Sir, please don't cause a scene. We'll just take that weapon and you can be on your way." Boisvert said, sharing an uneasy look with his partner.  
  
"We're also going to have to check for any other weapons that you might have on you, Sir." Osmore added, gulping heavily as the sword clanged against one of Auron's boots.  
  
"I do not have any others and the sword is mine. You have no purpose with it." Auron said, rolling his right shoulder just enough to flex the muscles against his cloak and breastplate.  
  
"Having any troubles, boys?" A young woman asked as she walked up. She was obviously in her early twenties, maybe mid-twenties at the latest. She had dark red hair down to her ankles and Caribbean blue eyes of remarkable depth.  
  
"N-no, ma'am!" Osmore said, saluting her sharply enough to hit himself in the eye.  
  
"I'll take over from here, you two take a quick break to watch the game." She offered. They nodded, saluted again, and took off at a half-run toward the stadium behind them.  
  
"My sword is my own." Auron said, glaring at her.  
  
"You're amused, aren't you? I can see it in your eye." She said, smiling at him benignly. "I'm called Illia Moon." She reached out to shake his hand and after some deliberation, he met hers firmly.  
  
"I am Auron." He said, noticing something twinkling in the depths of her eyes.  
  
"What, no last name?" She teased.  
  
"I haven't one." He admitted.  
  
"Would you care to join me over something to drink? I know a place a short distance off that serves chilled saki. We could maybe discuss finding you a last name?" She suggested, gesturing down the road a ways. "You really don't strike me as the kind that likes Blitzball very much."  
  
{([0])} End Auron's Flashback {([0])}  
"Auron Feral." Firailc said, her eyes pleading with him to turn around and acknowledge her.  
  
"How do you know this?" He asked, tiling his head toward her just a bit.  
  
"Will you postpone the sending? At least until you've heard what I have to say?" She asked. Relief was hinted at in her tone as she gestured vaguely with her hand.  
  
"There is no reason for me to." He said and turned his eye to Yuna.  
  
"I'll fight for it."  
  
"What?" Her odd statement brought his attention back again with confusion.  
  
"I'll fight you. If I win, you hear me out. If not, I won't be able to say anything any how." She said. Her eyes were locked with his and there was nothing except a solemn challenge within them.  
  
"You? Fight Auron?" Tidus began to laugh even as he said it.  
  
"I am no stranger to battle. I have fought my share, both for pride and survival." Firailc said. Her deft movement to remove the duster brought to view twin scars running the width of her left bicep and, by turning her shoulders just so, another set of three scars shown from her right bicep to forearm. The others of the original group drew a collective sharp breath and Auron's eye narrowed a little.  
  
"They're not fresh." He observed.  
  
"And I might be wet behind the ears in comparison with you, but I am not a novice." Firailc added and let the duster fall completely away. As it slid to the ground she unclasped her gloves and began pulling them over her knuckles.  
  
"I have neither the time nor the patience for your games." Auron said as his grip tightened on the Mesamune.  
  
"You have all the time you can stand. Your patience, however, never has been very notable." Firailc said and double-checked the stability in her wrist straps.  
  
"Very well. You shall be placed where you belong." Auron said and turned so that he faced her entirely, his battle stance loose as he rolled his shoulder.  
  
"Ready?" She asked as took a low bearing and tensed her entire body.  
  
"Begin." His near silent words seemed to be the answer to an unspoken question as she flew forward. A sharp hook from the right he blocked with the blade of his sword, but was surprised when he found himself skidding nearly ten feet back. She jumped forward, taking the momentary shock into advantage, and lashed out with a quick barrage of punches that all collided with his shoulder.  
  
"She wasn't kidding, ya?" Wakka said in awe as he watched her step back a moment. Her quick kick to the head from her right leg connected as well and she swiped with her left so that the Guardian's back hit harsh ground.  
  
Regaining his composure and equilibrium, Auron's warrior mind retaliated. Catching her knee in his hand, he brought her down beside him and he rolled so that his superior weight pinned her. The edge of the Mesamune bit into the top layer of flesh on her throat.  
  
"You're quick as well." She observed. No one expected her next move to be a combination of bringing her knee into his groin and clutching the blade in her hands. Recovering near instantly, he drew back to regain his footing. She twisted the blade in her grip in an effort to get it out of his and it worked marvelously. Tossing it away, she jumped to her feet and came at him with her right fist already drawn back.  
  
"Too slow." He caught her fist as he said it. A split second later his eyes widened. Stumbling back he released her to bring a hand to his stomach. A piece of sapphire stone the size of a large dagger protruded from his chest plate as ruby blood gushed into his hand.  
  
"Blood." She said softly, smiling to herself. "Well, half my plan worked at least."  
  
"Plan?" That single word penetrated the shock and cleared his mind of pain. Tearing out the gem weapon he tossed it aside and launched him self at her. Not one easily surprised, she leapt aside and brought her fist into his shoulder. Keeping his feet, he brought his arm in a heavy swing at her that caught her in the solar plexus. Spun by the force of the attack she crashed to the ground behind her.  
  
"Whoah." Tidus breathed as they watched her struggle to rise again. Every ounce of her body shaking, she finally managed to reclaim her knees and through a painful heave she got to her feet again. She had landed upon the Mesamune and its ever-sharp edge had sliced into her from left shoulder to right hip. Using her right arm to cover most of the deep injury she made a tight fist with her left. Shaking, she dug her fingers into her side.  
  
Gasping at the agony, she drew forth a large chunk of the blade and tossed it with the rest of the shattered sword at her feet. Shaking it off, she wiped the blood onto her trousers and tensed her arms at her sides in preparation for another go at the older warrior.  
  
"You can't go on. What are you doing?!" Tidus shouted at her, taking a step forward.  
  
"Stay back." She said, her voice harsh and cold. Locking gazes with Auron, she nodded. "We finish this now. We're both wounded and neither of us will last long at this rate. Enough talking."  
  
He returned her nod and they both ran toward each other at top speed. Both let a scream of intended victory erupt from their throats and when they finally met all hell broke loose. Both of their left fists connected and an explosion to set the Hiroshima incident to shame enclosed them all in it blinding pure light.  
  
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This seemed as good a place to stop right now as any. So, what do you people think of my re-edit so far? Please send reviews. I need them.  
  
Note; if anyone wants to or has used the idea of Auron having a daughter (or son), let me know because I would really like to read someone else's take on the possibility.


	2. A Few Changes

Disclaimer; don't own it. Just the OC  
  
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"Is this what death is like?" Firailc murmured aloud as the light gave way to utter darkness.  
  
"No." The soft almost-reply made her tilt her head to the left so that she could see Auron by her side. There was no blood, from either of them, and despite the lack of real visible radiance they could still see each other clearly.  
  
"Where are your comrades?" She asked. There was no point in asking him about his death at the moment, what she quested for was more substantial than a memory.  
  
"Just there." He gestured with his hand off to his left. Leaning so she could see around him, she saw the others lying sprawled out over a rather expansive area. They seemed asleep. Stepping forward, she turned so that she could stare Auron in the eye.  
  
"So this is what you looked like when Mum met you?" She asked. He seemed to be his 25 year-old self again. His skin was smooth, young and all the gray from his hair had vanished. The collar was there, however, as was the scar. His glasses, nearly forgotten in the battle, rested loosely on the bridge of his nose.  
  
"I don't know what she saw here." He said, leaning away from the touch of her palm to his cheek.  
  
"You're not the only one who has had a hard life you know." She said, turning so that she faced away from him. "You know, it's almost funny."  
  
He watched her curiously as she raised a hand to the darkness and traced out some shape. He didn't have to ask what she meant for she paused only long enough to release a soft, sad sigh before starting her narrative.  
  
"I feel almost like my mother just now. It's strange how a single moment such as an evaded touch can bring up memories you never knew you had."  
  
{([0]) Firailc's Flashback {([0])}  
  
A young girl, barely turned five, crawled into her mother's lap and looked into her Caribbean blue eyes. Sadness lingered there, but also immense joy.  
  
"Mum, I want story." The little girl said pleadingly, giving her bright emerald eyes a puppy-dog teary-ness as she looked up hopefully.  
  
"Alright." Her mother laughed softly and started to reach for the book on the table at her side.  
  
"No, no." The child said decisively.  
  
"What? I thought you wanted a story?" The mother laughed. "Are you toying with me, Fire?"  
  
"No, mum, no. I want to hear about daddy." She said hastily. As her mother closed her eyes, the toddler tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What's wrong, mummy?"  
  
"Nothing baby, it's nothing." Her mother said as she hastily wiped away the tears. "What story do you want to hear?"  
  
"Daddy's last name." The story had been told many times before, but the young girl thought she would never tire of hearing her mother's soft voice recall the memory.  
  
"Alright, now you settle down here and I'll tell you." Rushing off, the child snatched up her blanket, a soft canary yellow thing worn thin having been passed down through the generations of the mother's family and affectionately known as 'Big Softy'. Curling up in her mother's lap she drifted off to sleep before the third sentence was completed, but the story continued as the older woman's eyes turned misty again.  
  
{([0])} End Firailc's Flashback {([0])}  
  
{([0])} Auron's Flashback {([0])}  
  
"Would you care to join me over something to drink? I know a place a short distance off that serves chilled saki. We could maybe discuss finding you a last name?" Illia suggested, gesturing down the road a ways. "You really don't strike me as the kind that likes Blitzball very much."  
  
"It's not my favorite thing." Auron said and they fell into step as they move toward the small shop.  
  
"So you do like it a little." She said, looking up at him across the four-inch difference in their heights.  
  
"Hardly." He said. Stepping forward, he held the door open for her as they stepped into the establishment. Unlike nearly everything else in the machina city this shop was a small homey place that had been furnished to truly welcome its guests. It had a warm honey décor and the chairs were padded just enough to provide comfort without over doing it. Sitting down at a table for two near a window, a waiter approached them near silently.  
  
"What would the couple like?" He asked politely.  
  
"Two of my usual. Thank you, Daven." She said and turned to look at her companion. "What are you surprised about? This is a simple enough place."  
  
"We are not together." He said quietly.  
  
"Oh." She said and began to laugh. Soon what had been a soft giggle turned into a laugh of complete delight.  
  
"I don't see any humour." He said, a curios amusement twinkling behind his eye.  
  
"But we are a couple. We're two people, a man and a woman, sitting down together for a drink and a talk." She pointed out once she had sufficiently calmed again. Pulling her policeman's badge from its slot within her jacket, she placed it on the table and removed the garment. He glared at her, silently conceding the truth in the statement, and turned to watch as Daven placed chilled saki before each of them and a small black square about the size of a deck of playing cards.  
  
"Thank you, Daven." She said and the waiter nodded as he walked off.  
  
"What's this?" Auron asked, looking at the box.  
  
"Watch." She picked up the saucer-like bowl and drained it dry in one long sip. Setting it back down, she picked up the black box and waved it once across the top of the bowl. In a small flash it refilled with the chilled saki and she set it back to the side.  
  
"How do you know I'm not from here?" He asked, looking up at her suspiciously.  
  
"It's obvious really." She stated leaning forward with her arms crossed on the tabletop. "You carry a sword. The most anyone here carries is a pocketknife. Police such as myself carry side-arms, like this piece."  
  
His posture strained marginally as she pulled the gun from its holster around her thigh and sat it on the table by her badge. The gleaming metal of the weapon shined in the light overhead as she pulled out the clip and removed a single bullet.  
  
"What is that for?" He asked his eyes trained on the small object.  
  
"This is the same bullet I was first issued as a trainee. I have never been forced to shoot anyone and I hope to keep it that way. If I have to shoot, I shoot to kill." She said solemnly. Placing it back in the clip, she placed the clip back into the gun and placed the gun back in the holster. "So, are you unemployed or do you do odd jobs?"  
  
"I'm looking after an old friend's son. I promised him I would." He said, cautiously lifting the bowl to his lips and taking a small drink.  
  
"I would say it's not poisoned, but I have no way of knowing without doing a search." She said, smiling at him. He gave a small 'hmph' of a laugh and took another sip, the tension gone for the moment.  
  
"What about you?" He asked.  
  
"What about me?" She asked in surprise.  
  
"Aside from being a policeman, what do you do?" He asked, gesturing at the necklace around her neck. Pulling forth the medallion, she twirled the small serpent in her fingers.  
  
"I used to be part of a gang of a sort. We were called Lancers. About three years ago we broke up and I haven't seen any of them since." She dropped the necklace back under her uniform shirt and shrugged as she drunk more of the saki.  
  
"What's that tattoo?" He asked, nodding to her shoulder.  
  
"I didn't come here to talk all about me you know." She laughed, rubbing over the aforementioned spot. "So what about you? Were you part of any group? A band maybe, since you look like the sort? What about a tattoo or body piercing of your own?"  
  
"I was never a part of a band. I grew up with a very strict discipline and as far as a tattoo or piercing the answer is no, never." He said and took another sip of saki.  
  
"Never? Not a single one, huh? Well how did you get that scar?"  
  
Silence prevailed as he closed his eye and tipped his head forward ever so slightly. Sighing heavily, she ran her tongue along her teeth for a moment and then picked up her saucer of saki. He spluttered as he jumped to his feet when the saki splashed him in the face. Turning in shock and anger to face her, he paused when he saw her amused expression.  
  
"Why did you do that?" He asked sharply.  
  
"Too introspective. If you have a bad memory associated with it then just say so. Don't just grow silent and ignore me by delving into memories. It's impolite. Besides, I wanted to find out if your hair looks as cute wet as it does dry." She replied and refilled the empty bowl in her hands. Swallowing it and the three that followed in rapid succession, she set the saki to the side and looked at him tentatively.  
  
"Cute?" He murmured softly.  
  
{([0])} End Auron's Flashback {([0])}  
  
Seemingly from nowhere a chill fire flashed through Firailc's body and she shivered, knowing its cause. Auron watched, his emotions masked as she lowered herself to one knee and removed something from a hidden pouch within the duster at her feet.  
  
"Mum told me that if I should ever find myself face-to-face with you she would like me to give you this." She drew forth a rose of bright red, the tips of its petals a surprising sapphire blue. "She never would tell me the story behind it, but that if anything then this would prove to you I'm your daughter. I just had to be stubborn and challenge you though and now I've paid the price."  
  
"What price?" He asked softly as his eye remained riveted on the rose in her hand. She held it out for him and waited as he gingerly took it into his bare palm. After a moment he looked up to her face and noticed that her eyes were closed, her hands clenched into fists at her side.  
  
"Because I'm from Zanarkand I'm a memory, just like Tidus. The ones who dreamed me, should you care to know, were Shiva and Ifrit, the Queen of Ice and the King of Fire. Even she felt the passion boiling in the two of you, just as he did. Unlike Tidus, however, I was kept 'between' the realities by my two Aeons so that I could train and become strong enough to find you without help from any others." She leaned her head to the side and opened her eyes, studying him closely as she felt the energy she was granted slowly begin to drain.  
  
"You'll be gone." He said softly, letting one hand cup around the rose as he looked to her hands. They were already beginning to fade in and out a bit and a single pyrefly formed, drifting lazily around her right hand knuckles.  
  
"Eventually, yes. I have just enough time and energy left to send seven people back to the real existence, Spira. Do I have the honor of knowing that my father has accepted me as his?" She asked, flexing the muscles in her fists to keep her form stable.  
  
"You are- my daughter." He said eventually, a small smile taking shape on his lips as he took a step forward.  
  
"That's good to know." She laughed and held out a hand. Surprising both of them, he enveloped her in a mighty hug that swept her from the ground and into his arms. She returned the embrace with vigor and let the comfort he offered seep in.  
  
"Everything I do comes too late it seems." He said as he stepped back again and held out the rose to her.  
  
"No, this is yours and mum's. Your cloak and her eyes, I believe, were the original explanations for its colours? I don't know, but it's the first thing that came to mind now that I see it in your hands." Firailc raised her fist with the pyrefly and slowly let it rest against her father's chest. As the pyrefly flowed into him, he felt warmth fill his chest and he smiled at her again, although worry tinged both it and his gaze.  
  
"Where will you go when this is all over?" He asked softly. She let her hand drop to her side and thought about it for a moment.  
  
"I don't know really. Shiva and Ifrit's spirits told me not to worry about anything, so I won't I suppose. It's all up to them where I will belong after this, they are the ones who gave me a life here and the opportunity to find you." She found herself nearly unable to keep her form now and felt herself fade in and out.  
  
"Do you have the strength left?" He asked worriedly, watching her flinch as pain began to strike through her now as well.  
  
"I have strength enough for this." She nodded and stepped back. Pulling the duster back onto her shoulders she held her arms wide, like an angel's wings and that was the last impression he got of her as all surroundings faded away. What reappeared before them was the Moonflow in its entire splendor under a full silvery moon.  
  
"Sir Auron?" Yuna's voice broke through to him and he turned his back on the sight to watch his companions slowly awaken and struggle to their feet.  
  
"What happened now? I bet you had something to do with this." Tidus grumbled as he stood up and helped Yuna as well. It struck him as curious that they all paused as they looked at him.  
  
"Dude. Sir Auron, you're young again." Wakka said, his voice reflecting his awe. Confused, Auron turned toward the water's edge and peered in, gasping and taking a hasty step back as what met his eyes was the visage of him at 25, before he got the scar.  
  
"I don't understand." He muttered, raising his hand to feel the un- roughened skin of his face.  
  
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Please send reviews. I'm positive I need them, and even if I don't they would still be helpful!  
  
Note; if anyone wants to or has used the idea of Auron having a daughter (or son), let me know because I would really like to read someone else's take on the possibility.  
  



End file.
